Wednesday, June 25, 2008

PUBLIC WORKS CREWS TO CLOSE ROAD OVERNIGHT FOR MAJOR RAILROAD IMPROVEMENTS

SUISUN CITY — Suisun City Public Works crews will temporarily close Cordelia Road at the Union Pacific Railroad crossing at about noon Thursday, June 26, for continued installation of major track and traffic improvements.Cordelia Road is expected to be closed entirely from noon Thursday, June 26, until about 5 p.m. Friday, June 27, to allow Union Pacific crews to finish replacing the road’s railroad crossing as part of a major Union Pacific track improvement project.Drivers are encouraged to avoid the Cordelia Road crossing entirely by using these alternate routes:

Eastbound traffic on Cordelia Road should travel north on Pennsylvania Avenue, turn right onto Highway 12 and exit at Civic Center Boulevard (bearing right toward Main Street) to access the Suisun City Waterfront District.

Westbound traffic should travel north on Main Street to westbound Highway 12 then turn left at Pennsylvania Avenue and right at Cordelia Road.

Union Pacific is installing 40,000 new track ties and upgrading bridges between Suisun City and Martinez as second installment of a multi-year upgrade project between Sacramento and Oakland that will keep the railroad in good condition so trains can operate reliably.

The rail crossing will be replaced by Union Pacific with custom concrete and metal panels laid flush with the rails to ensure a smooth and consistent roadway for motorists. Suisun City Public Works will assist Union Pacific with this critical work.

Monday, June 23, 2008

Suisun City is under a pall of smoke this morning from the Wild Fire burning in rugged terrain in Napa County and upper Green and Suisun Valleys. Some of our fire crews and equipment have joined the CALFire task force battling the blaze, which is located well outside Suisun City limits.However, we join all those concerned about our rural neighbors, and stand ready to help in any way we can.You can stay informed about the fire through the CAL Fire web site. Use this link to go directly to the Wild Fire incident information. With so many active fires across the state, the website can be a bit balky, so please be patient.With so much smoke in the air, use common sense when exercising outside for the next several days. If you have respiratory challenges, try to remain indoors and avoid the drifting fire smoke. If your breathing becomes difficult or life-threatening, contact your doctor or 911 immediately for assistance.

State water officials will host three town hall meetings on Delta issuesnext week, with the aim of helping the public understand the many studies andprograms under way to correct ecological and water delivery problems in theestuary, the largest on the West Coast of the Americas.

Programs involving the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta include thegovernor's Delta Vision Blue Ribbon Task Force, the Bay-Delta Conservation Plan,emergency response planning, habitat restoration and flood-safety improvements.The public will have a chance at each meeting to learn about these programs, askquestions and share concerns.

The 740,000-acre Delta is witnessing the decline of nine fish species,serious water quality problems, and legal and environmental constraints thathave sharply reduced water exports this year.

The various Delta research programs are examining new water deliveryplumbing, improved levees, and proposals to increase and improve wildlifehabitat. These efforts could affect some communities by dramatically alteringland use in the Delta.

Thursday, June 12, 2008

PUBLIC WORKS WILL TEMPORARILY CLOSE ROAD TO ALLOW FOR MAJOR UPGRADESUISUN CITY — Suisun City Public Works crews will temporarily close Cordelia Road at the Union Pacific Railroad crossing next week to allow installation of major track and traffic improvements. From Monday June 16 through Friday June 20, Cordelia Road will be subject to closure to all vehicle traffic to allow Union Pacific crews to replace the road’s entire railroad crossing as part of a major Union Pacific track improvement project. Drivers are encouraged to avoid the Cordelia Road crossing entirely by using these alternate routes:

Eastbound traffic on Cordelia Road should travel north on Pennsylvania Avenue, turn right onto Highway 12 and exit at Civic Center Boulevard (bearing right toward Main Street) to access the Suisun City Waterfront District.

Westbound traffic should travel north on Main Street to westbound Highway 12 then turn left at Pennsylvania Avenue and right at Cordelia Road.

Union Pacific is installing 40,000 new track ties and upgrading bridges between Suisun City and Martinez as second installment of a multi-year upgrade project between Sacramento and Oakland that will keep the railroad in good condition so trains can operate reliably.

The rail crossing will be replaced by Union Pacific with custom concrete and metal panels laid flush with the rails to ensure a smooth and consistent roadway for motorists. Suisun City Public Works will assist Union Pacific with this critical work.

The railroad improvement project is funded by Union Pacific.

Later this month, Union Pacific expects to close the Sunset Avenue crossing to conduct similar work. Residents should be aware that work is pending, and the City will issue advisories when specific dates and routes are determined.

Monday, June 9, 2008

Suisun City was very proud to serve Monday night as the community partner with Col. Steven Arquiette and Travis AFB to host "Tops In Blue," the Air Force's top touring entertainment group.

More than 1,500 people came to the Suisun City Waterfront District to enjoy this world-class family entertainment in one of three performances in California this year.

We'd like to thank Tops In Blue and Travis Air Force Base for choosing the Suisun City Waterfront District as the venue for this outstanding performance. We could not have found a better way to support Team Travis and showcase the Waterfront District renaissance.

Events such as this provide a glimpse of the 24/7 destination the Waterfront District will soon become.

We hope everyone in attendance enjoyed their evening in Suisun City. Come visit us again and enjoy one of our plentiful unique restaurants and the beautiful natural setting.

Plus, the Suisun City Public Works Department is selling authentic City street signs for only $10 each! This spring, we replaced every street sign in town. Before we recycle the old ones, we wanted to offer residents a chance to own one of their favorites. With such a large number of streets bearing unique bird, location and proper names, we thought this would be a terrific opportunity!

The signs are available first-come, first-served and their is a limited quantity. Whatever is leftover goes to the recycling company on Monday. All proceeds - from the sales and recycling - go right back into the city's Streets Fund. For more on the program, visit www.suisun.com/signs

In addition to the fun along the Marina, the Suisun Wildlife Center is holding its Baby Animal Shower on Saturday. It's a nice walk along the Promenade down to the Center. They will have some of their resident animals out on display, hands-on kids activities and a chance to watch baby birds be fed! It's a great place to learn about the Marsh and have free fun close to home (always thinking about saving gas, these days).

Enjoy your day in Suisun City! It's only the start of a summer of great free Waterfront District entertainment.

Monday, June 2, 2008

SUISUN CITY - A 1-year-old girl was resuscitated on Sunday and is expected to recover from an apparently accidental drowning because of the life-saving CPR administered by Suisun City Police officers and Firefighters.About 10:11 a.m., Suisun City Dispatch received a 9-1-1 call reporting a 1-year-old girl had drown in the family pool of a residence in the 1000 block of Whistler Drive. Within 2 minutes, Police Officer Philip Steemers and Fire Engine 47 were on the scene.The child's mother had pulled the child from the pool and initiated CPR , which started clearing the child's lungs. Meeting Officer Steemers in the front yard, she handed over her daughter, who was not breathing and had no pulse. Officer Steemers continued CPR for less than a minute before the EMT-D trained fire crew took over life-saving treatment."After approximately 10 long minutes, and much heartfelt effort from all, these special people were able to bring the child back to life," said Officer David Fong, who arrived at the scene after the fire crew and witnessed their efforts. "Prior to the ambulance transporting the young victim (to NorthBay Medical Center), the victim was breathing and a pulse was present."With medical attention from hospital personnel, the girl's breathing improved and it appears as though she will make a successful recovery, fire Capt. Mel Torres said.In an e-mail he later wrote to his public safety colleagues, Officer Fong was clearly filled with deep appreciation for the determined, quick and professional actions of his Suisun City colleagues."People like this is why I love working within the City of Suisun City," Officer Fong wrote. "You are all heroes to me and our victim."In addition to Officer Steemers and Capt. Torres, Firefighters Gary Hall and Richard Anderson and Reserve Firefighter Phillip Martin responded to this family's call for help."Congratulations on an extraordinary job well done!" said City Manager Suzanne Bragdon.

Suisun City is extremely appreciative of its all-volunteer Fire Department, the members of which are dedicated to the highest level of training to be there when the community needs them most.

If you were looking for a good time to invite family or friends to Suisun City, this is the perfect weekend!

In addition to the 'It's a June Thing' summer kick-off celebration in the Waterfront District, the Suisun Wildlife Center is having its Baby Animal Shower on Saturday June 7 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Drop by the Center at 1171 Kellogg Street for cake, refreshments and a visit with the resident Golden Eagle and other animals native to the Suisun Marsh. You'll also get the chance to watch handlers feed baby birds and enjoy some of the educational displays available every day at the Suisun Wildlife Center.

So come on down to the Waterfront District along Main Street on Saturday. Enjoy the jet ski races and free entertainment, then walk along the Promenade to the Wildlife Center (located adjacent to the boat launch).

Service for four daily Capitol Corridor trains will be transferred to a bus link between Martinez and Suisun City during June.Union Pacific Railroad is undertaking a major track maintenance program that involves replacing thousands of railroad ties holding the tracks together. To their credit, they are doing the work in the middle of the day to minimize the disruption during the peak commute hours.Here's what Capitol Corridor.org said about the work:

Union Pacific will be upgrading track infrastructure (primarily railroad ties & bridges) between Benicia (North of Martinez) and Suisun/Fairfield, installing approximately 40,000 new wood ties at their own expense. This is the second installment of a multi-year track upgrade project between Oakland and Sacramento, which will keep the railroad in good condition so trains can operate reliably.

This construction is expected to last approximately 4 weeks from June 3rd -June 28th, 2008. During the course of the track work, some morning and early afternoon Capitol Corridor trains will not operate between Martinez and Suisun/Fairfield. Instead, connecting buses will carry passengers between those two stations, and trains will operate on the remainder of the route on a modified schedule.

For detailed info from Capitol Corridor about the scheduled work, click here. This announcement got some pretty good local media play, including a story in the Contra Costa Times.

We know there are lots of Suisun City residents who love to get outdoors and enjoy the terrific scenery in and around Suisun City.So when we heard about a new trail run being put on in Lynch Canyon, we knew we just had to pass along the information.Here's the skinny:On Saturday June 21 starting at 8 a.m., there will be a half-marathon, 10K and community fun run through the hills of Lynch Canyon Park, a new open space park just north of I-80 between Fairfield and Vallejo.Of course, all the real details are online at lynchcanyontrailrun.blogspot.com. There you'll find all the registration fees, key times, directions and even a map of the race course!The Daily Republic had a good story on the race over the weekend, too.

Lace up your shoes and have fun!If anyone takes part and gets good pictures, please feel free to share them!Even if you don't like to run, Lynch Canyon in a beautiful place to visit. It's operated by the Solano County Land Trust and Solano County, and open to the public Wednesday through Sunday.